Dassault Mirage F1

Mirage F1CR

When it became clear that the Mirage F1 was becoming a successful production aircraft, Dassault began investigating the possibility of a dedicated reconnaissance version for its most important client, the French Air Force.

However, the escalating cost of fighter aircraft meant that add-on pods for this purpose were a more economical alternative.

Many French Air Force aircraft, as well as those of some export clients (such as [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]'s Mirage F1EQ), did indeed have a variety of reconnaissance pods available, which were attached to the underside of the main fuselage.

However, the development of a tactical reconnaissance aircraft for the French Air Force continued, and the first Mirage F1CR-200 flew on 20 November 1981.

The Mirage F1CR carries reconnaissance equipment, internally and externally:

• A SAT SCM2400 Super Cyclone [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] linescan unit is installed in the space previously occupied by the cannon.
  
• A space under the nose can be used for a Thomson-TRT 40 panoramic camera or a Thomson-TRT 33 vertical camera.
  
• The Cyrano IVM-R radar has extra ground- and contour-mapping modules.
  
• Additional optical and electronic sensors can be carried on the hardpoints under the fuselage and wings.
  

A total of 64 units of the Mirage F1CR were ordered by the French Air Force, the first of which flew on 10 November 1982.

The first air force unit which used the aircraft became operational in July 1983.

F 1CR avec pod Astac

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CR

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